Fire and Ice
by The-Aradan
Summary: The pokemon on a distant island fight for their lives against the newest generation of humans.
1. Chapter 1

Fire and Ice

_Some say the world will end in fire,_

_Some say in ice._

_From what I've tasted of desire_

_I hold with those who favor fire._

_But if it had so perish twice_

_I think I know enough of hate_

_To say that of destruction ice_

_Is also great, and would suffice_

-Robert Frost

Chapter One

It was dusk. The sun had just fallen beneath the horizon, letting the world fall into a state of darkness. It was as if life had been taken from the earth as every creature succumbed to the shadows. Slowly a cool breeze blew past the trees on an island that was many miles from any land whatsoever. As the sun left the island, the sounds of the native creatures began to subside as they went to sleep. However, this was no ordinary night.

The silence was suddenly broken by the panting of a small doglike pokemon who shot through the woods as fast as his little legs would carry him. This black dog was about a foot tall with a look of utter terror on its face. Some of the creatures in the trees looked down at the passing spectacle and wondered what could have frightened the beast to the point of madness. Foam was collecting at the pokemon's mouth because of the intensity of its panting, and the dog looked truly insane.

The small canine was a Poochyena, a pokemon from the element of darkness. Energy was coming to him from the shadows, and that was the only thing that kept him running from his unseen foe, and he never looked back. Poochyena had seen something that was impossible, and yet what he had seen was pursuing him at this very moment. The dog began to taste blood in his mouth. He had been running at full speed for ten minutes straight, and his lungs were beginning to give out. Yet the black dog continued on diligently, for he would rather suffer death of exhaustion than the death that the beast pursuing him would bring.

As Poochyena sprinted down a forest path he began to feel the muscles in his leg start to give out. The dog slowed down to a trot so as to not exert too much energy. Even though he had to reach his destination as quickly as possible, he would not reach it at all if he overexerted himself and died. There was one small thought that kept the Poochyena moving:

I must tell the Master of the island.

I must tell the Master of the island.

Suddenly, the Poochyena tripped over the root of a large tree. Because he was running at a fairly fast rate, Poochyena fell head over heels before coming to a stop in a pile of weeds. The pokemon groaned in pain, feeling an aching stab in one of his front legs. Slowly he looked down and observed his leg bending at an odd angle and knew it was broken.

The Poochyena tried his hardest to limp onto his good feet, but almost all of his energy had been spent. After managing to get halfway up onto his feet he collapsed on the ground again. The small dog felt like giving up, so he lifted his head to look behind him. Out of the darkness of the woods began to glow a small flicker of orange, coming towards him at an incredible rate. Poochyena closed his eyes and once again tried to get to his feet, but it was too late.

Fire erupted all around the small canine in a spectacular burst of light. Every tree that surrounded Poochyena caught flame and started to emit immense heat. The small pokemon shielded his face from the heat with his unbroken paw. After what seemed like an eternity he forced his eyes open to face his enemy.

There it was, standing just beyond the tree line. It was a tall creature, silhouetted by the fire that surrounded it. The beast stood on two legs and had two arms which were outstretched. But the most horrifying thing about this creature was that its entire body was on fire. Shadows flickered everywhere, causing fear to be instilled in the small pokemon's heart. The creature began to take small steps toward the Poochyena, its flaming body looking like a fiery demon from a nightmare. Although the small dog could not see it, there was a wicked smile on its face.

The creature raised its glowing hands above its head and gathered all the fire from around the forest into them. An enormous fireball formed in the beast's hands and heat began to radiate immensely from it. There the creature stood over the small dog, about to deliver the most painful and ultimate destruction. Death by Fire.

Poochyena realized then that if he did not get the message to the Master of the island, there would be no hope for any of the pokemon in the entire world. Acting instinctively, Poochyena used his good legs to push him off the ground and towards his enemy. With all of his might the small dog bit his attacker on the leg. The creature screamed and the fire in its hands disappeared. By the time the fiery demon looked down at its leg, it realized that its prey had escaped.

Slowly Poochyena stumbled up a small hill, trying to remember where the entrance to the Master's chamber was. After scraping along the rock covered ground, it finally found the small tunnel right next to a particularly large boulder. So as not to hurt his injured leg any more, Poochyena carefully walked through the cavern.

The air began to get colder the more that Poochyena descended into the ground. With every step the dog began to shiver. The Master's chamber was not a pleasant place for any other pokemon in the world to go into, except for the Master himself. It was a place of calmness and solitude, and was therefore was the perfect place for the Master to hide himself.

After a long while of limping down the tunnel, Poochyena saw a light glowing around the corner. It was strange to see light down so far in the earth, but it comforted the small dog in the darkness and the extreme cold. As the pokemon turned the corner, his eyes beheld the Master, standing in his usual place; the center of the room.

The Master was Regice, the ruler of the island. Poochyena observed the Master from a distance because Regice was cold enough to freeze anything that got near it into a solid block of ice. The Master was six feet tall, and its entire body seemed to have been carved from the purest ice crystals in the world. It had six yellow eyes crossing what appeared to be its face, and they brightened and dimmed in unison.

Slowly, Regice turned towards the small dog pokemon. Its large yellow eyes came in contact with the yellow eyes of the Poochyena. The dog felt thoughts in his mind coming from the Master.

_What has made you approach my very throne this day?_

The words sounded so pure to the Poochyena because they were not tainted by the language of the world. They reached his very soul and he felt his mind become more connected with his Master's. Yet, Poochyena realized why he had come and what he had to tell the Master. Even though it was very cold, Poochyena began to sweat. Slowly, it focused its mind to the Master and bore the terrible tidings.

_Master! I have learned terrible news._ Poochyena hesitated, realizing the immensity of what he had to say. After swallowing once, he delivered his horrific message.

_The Humans are Evolving!_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Even though his heart and soul was frozen to the core, Regice felt a shiver run through his body. The statement had been quick and overbearing, but the more time rushed by the greater it impacted Regice. The large ice pokemon slunk to the floor as if an enormous weight had just been placed on his shoulders. Regice let out a sigh of despair. He never thought he would live to see the prophesy fulfilled.

Poochyena watched as the Master of the Island sank to the floor in depression. Tears came to its own eyes as he saw a creature so powerful and magnificent lay down in misery. Yet as he watched this scene, the pain in his leg began to stab even harder than before. Poochyena turned to his leg again and began to lick it caringly. Its sensitive tongue could feel small fragments of his bone that had broken through the skin and could taste a faint trace of blood. As he continued to care for it he did not see that Regice had begun to sit up.

Regice observed his companion hunched over treating an injury. Once again linking its mind to the small dog, it asked, _what happened to your limb?_

Poochyena, not wanting to focus anymore with his mind to send messages, simply barked three times between licks. (I was running away from one of the evolved humans and I tripped and broke it) he said nonchalantly. Even though the pain was terrible, Poochyena did not want to lose his honor in front of the Master by crying out and weeping because of pain.

Regice looked again at the wound and noticed that the break was not a clean cut, but rather it had shattered. He thought words into Poochyena's mind. _That leg of yours is very badly injured. I am afraid that it will have to be removed to prevent you more pain and suffering._

The small dog stopped mid-lick and looked up at the Master. The small dog whimpered slightly then barked hoarsely. (No. This injury can be easily treated. My trainer could take me to the…) The Poochyena then realized a terrible truth that he had not before. His days with his trainer were over now, and with that life went the miraculous healing power that the humans had. Slowly the pokemon eyed its leg again and knew that Regice was right.

Poochyena, after a long time in thought, looked up to his new Master and said (Let me do it. It will be less painful.) He lied of course, but Poochyena felt it was an honorable thing to do.

Regice directed his thoughts towards his small companion. _I can freeze it so that it will be less painful for you to endure. _The black canine looked up towards his Master with teary eyes, and then nodded in consent.

(My only request is that you do it fast, so that it I don't have to feel the cold.) And with that Regice rose back to its feet. Slowly, all of Regice's eyes began to dim slowly, as if he were focusing immensely on the carefulness of the procedure that he had to perform. Poochyena closed its eyes tightly as a blue mist began to form around his leg without touching it. The dog could only feel its arm throbbing in pain for an instant and then it all disappeared.

Poochyena's eyes opened quickly and he beheld his leg, frozen underneath an inch of solid ice. The ice extended but to his shoulder with a small space reserved for his mouth to bite. The dog knew what he had to do at the moment. Slowly it raised its mouth to its arm and brought all of its teeth on its shoulder, right at the joint. It slightly applied pressure to get a good grip. The taste of singed fur filled his mouth, and almost caused him to vomit. Once again Poochyena closed his eyes, and with all of his might he bit down.

Pain immediately shot through Poochyena's entire body. An uncontrollable twitch also came to his face as he tasted his own flesh and bone. He had expected for some reason to bite through his leg at once, but he had just left a bloody mark. Again he bit down and started to crunch the bone harder. Poochyena could feel his arteries and veins along with his muscle being torn in his teeth, and the taste of his own blood was in his mouth. The cracking sound of his bone almost forced him to loose his mind as he ground it back and forth in his teeth in an attempt to break it off sooner.

As Poochyena dug deeper into his own flesh he became accustomed to the pain. It was the only thing his mind could focus on, and for some strange reason was the only thing that kept him gnawing away at his leg. He felt the bone getting weaker and weaker with every grind, yet mentally he was dead from the pain.

Then with a loud and unsettling snap the bone broke free from Poochyena's body, and hung at an odd angle by the skin and veins that had not been sliced. It was only a matter of moments before the dog clipped them off with his now dulled teeth. The dog would grow new ones, but he did not care. Blood was spattering against the floor of the icy cavern. The dog's instincts took over and it began to lick the bloody stub which had been its leg just minutes before.

After about ten minutes the bleeding had lessened in intensity. The dog was still twitching because of the pain, and instead of licking its paw it had wrapped it up in its fluffy tail. Regice had beheld the entire incident, and saw that his companion was truly worthy of being his servant.

_Well done my friend_, the Regice whispered to his friend through his thoughts. _Now rest and save your energy, we have big things to do on the morrow_. Regice extended his hands towards the small dog and expelled a soft snow-like powder. It flew through the air as if forced by a faint breeze, and then it rested on the Poochyena. The dog's eyelids soon sunk down over its eyes and it gave a big yawn. Slowly he rested his head on his other front paw and quickly fell asleep.

If Regice could physically express emotions there would be a small smile of satisfaction on his face. _Sleep well my friend_ he thought as he turned away from the sleeping figure.

_The time has come for me to alert my brethren_ Regice thought to himself as he placed his large crystal arms on the wall that he now faced. Instantly it melted away, as if it were ice to the flame, revealing an entrance into another cavern that was much larger than the one he was in at the moment.

Regice glanced at the items that surrounded the edges of the cave. Although the chamber was where he spent most of his time, this cave was his domain. There were many books, all made out of ice that was perfectly clear. They sat on shelves that were also forged from ice so clear that only Regice could detect its presence. A normal being would see the cavern to be empty other than a large pedestal in the center that seemed to have been created from a combination of rock and steel.

The tall crystal-like pokemon first walked to a large shelf of ice-books and removed one. It was very small and light, almost like a snowflake. He carefully brought it to the pedestal that was in the center of the room. The top was perfectly smooth, and patterned with rock and steel so that it looked like an ice crystal. _Ingenious_, Regice thought as all nine eyes settled on the symbol. The harmony between the elements was perfect, and it brought peace to Regice's soul

Carefully, Regice laid the small book upon the top of the pedestal. It then began to twitch and bounce back and forth very slightly. A green light began to glow from the pedestal and it began to envelop the book. The book, now glowing with a dim green light began to rise into the air. Slowly the pages fell open, and then stopped on a page entitled "The Prophesy." The light began to lessen again from the book and it settled down on the pedestal again, open at the page of the Prophesy.

Regice then placed his icy hands on the pedestal on either side of the book. _Brothers! The time has come! The Prophesy which was predicted is now beginning to come true!_ The callings of Regice reached across the earth to different caves where its brothers resided.

The brother of Steel resided far away in a mountain range that was almost impossible for a human to reach. He was a large creature that was forged out of a metal that was harder than any known substance, even a Ponyta's hoof. Though hard, it was very flexible, though the only pokemon strong enough to move it was he. His name was Registeel.

The brother of Rock also lived in a distant land, in the middle of a thick jungle that not many had entered. Though he seemed to be very distorted and uneven, he took particular pride in his appearance, saying that he was perfect in being imperfect. He could animate any rock on the planet and force it to obey his will. His name was Regirock.

The two brothers responded to their sibling's call. Regice looked up into the air and saw circles appear in the air. They were the eyes of his brethren. There were seven that were red in a hexagonal shape with one eye in the center which was Registeel's face, and there were seven brown eyes in the shape of an H, which was Regirock's face. The thoughts came from Regirock first.

_Can it possibly be true?_ he questioned Regice. There was an awkward silence as his thoughts faded. Regice looked upwards at his friend with a look of sadness that only his brothers could understand.

_Yes_, Regice said and he looked at the book that was resting on the pedestal in front of him. Then with slow and steady thoughts, he quoted it to his brothers, though they had heard it many times before.

_The Prophesy Regarding the Future of Humanity, given through Celebi who has seen the future._

_I have seen the world in the future where there will no longer be love between humans and pokemon. I have seen a time where people believe that pokemon have become obsolete to them. The humans will take upon themselves the elements so to eliminate pokemon from their lives._

_Pokemon have been entrusted control over the elements from the beginning of time because of their kind spirits and their willingness to forgive. Yet as the humans evolve traits that will give them power they will keep with them their hatred and their will to dominate all. They shall turn against their former friends and shall attempt to destroy them from the face of the earth._

_Yet the future is unclear past this point, but I can see shadows of what might happen. Either all pokemon will be purged from the face of the planet by the destruction of mankind or the pokemon will retaliate and eliminate humans from the world. I fear there can be no ground in between._

_I wish that those in the future will choose the right decisions so that perhaps this prophesy might go on unfulfilled, yet my gut tells me there will be those who will suffer greatly because of this. I pray for those people in the future that they can be wise and do all that is good. Be strong and in time it will all work out, I hope._

Slowly the words sunk into the brothers. It was so deep and powerful that Regice began to shiver again. They all realized that it was now the time which Celebi had spoken of. _Brothers, we must be strong_ Regice said to them, and they began to counsel with each other to determine on the action that must soon be taken.

Poochyena sat on his hind legs, extending his front paws in a playful begging position. His trainer smiled at him, then came over and patted him on the head. His trainer was about six feet tall, and was in his early twenties. Poochyena affectionately nuzzled his face in his trainer's hand.

Yet something smelled different about his trainer. His had felt hot and was a little sweaty. Poochyena thought he could smell something burning on his trainer's hand, but the smell was so faint that he ignored it. Yet the stench of flesh on fire began to intensify and Poochyena began to be curious. However, his curiosity lasted but only a moment. He then playfully bit his trainer's hand softly so that he would perhaps feed him.

What happened next was completely unexpected. Poochyena's trainer used to play with him when he bit his hand, but today he looked down at the little dog with a look of intense anger. Poochyena quickly let go and cowered in front of its trainer, hiding its tail beneath its legs. His trainer's eyes seemed to be on fire, and it scared him to the bone.

The trainer lifted up the arm which Poochyena had been playing with and held it high in the air. Poochyena looked up at it and began to whimper. As the arm shot towards him however, it erupted into flame. The small dog stared wide-eyed at the arm as it impacted with his body, scorching a small percentage of his hair and making the entire room smell awful.

Poochyena saw what a beast his trainer had become, something that he had never seen before. His skin had turned black and was covered in flame. The only feature Poochyena could still recognize were his eyes, except now they glowed with white fire. The small dog turned tail and bolted out of the building he had been in, pursued quickly by his former trainer. Fear clouded his senses as he ran faster and faster trying to keep himself alive.

Yet as he was running he felt a thought come to his head. He did not know where it came from, but he knew it wasn't his original thought. _Go to the Master of the Island. He will know what to do_. With that in mind, most of the fear left him, and the thought carried him onwards.

Suddenly Poochyena woke up. He was panting hard. Because the air was cold, he could see his breath in the air. Slowly he looked down at his amputated limb. It had finally stopped bleeding, and instead of sharp pain there was a dull throb. Poochyena also felt stinging under the fur of his cheeks. He could not understand for a while what it was until he remembered his dream. Poochyena was crying for his trainer, and the tears were freezing to his face.

Poochyena felt alone.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"The test subject appears to be in genetic hibernation," a tall woman in a laboratory coat spoke as she glanced towards a large computer that had many numbers and charts on the screen. She stood perfectly straight and held her chin up high. She was extremely slender, insomuch that she did not look human. In fact, it seemed as if some outside force was holding her thin frame erect.

"I concur," said another scientist, a short pudgy man with abnormally sized glasses hanging on the end of his nose. The man was old, evident by his many wrinkles and bald head. He was staring through a one way mirror into a room in which was filled with smoke. In the center of the room lay a man face down on a large metal table. This man appeared to be six feet tall, but was hunched over so it was impossible to tell. Steam was rising from his back and into the thick and smoky air. His attire was not the most beautiful either; he was adorned in charred cloth and melted plastic. The man was also panting, and anyone that was to look upon him could have seen that he was exhausted.

The entire room reflected his appearance. Charred walls, smoldering blankets, and ruined ashes were all over the room. The door seemed also to be a victim of the terrible fire, as it lay charred and twisted on the floor. Yet there was one odd thing about the scene. Even though everything in the room was destroyed, the man himself had not a single burn upon him. In fact he looked perfectly healthy other than his current exhaustion. After a while his breathing slowed and he drifted off to sleep.

Behind the mirror the two scientists stared at the scene. As they were gazing inward, a large metallic door slid open behind them with a swishing sound and the two scientists spun around quickly. The lights dimmed throughout the entire room, and the temperature felt as if it had dropped a few degrees. There were no footsteps, but the two scientists knew that someone was about to enter the room. It was The Messenger.

A thick fog of darkness seeped into the room behind the shrouded figure of The Messenger. The mist slowly flowed towards the two scientists and wrapped slowly around them. Because the fog was so dense, they could not clearly see the true details of The Messenger, but they also knew they didn't want to see him, especially his face.

The hood of The Messenger moved ever so slightly, as if the face inside had just risen upwards to look at the scientists. Then, in a soft but piercing voice he asked out loud, "The Director is not pleased." The tall woman cowered and the short man turned away. The Messenger spoke again in his same voice, "Give me a full report on the events of the experiment which took place last night so that he might have mercy on you." The mist continued to wrap around the scientists, chilling them to the bone.

The tall woman was the first to speak, her frame drooping more as the mist wrapped around her. Through stuttered speech, it was evident that she was terrified, but she was more frightened of what would happen if she failed to report the exact truth.

"Th-the experiment was c-conducted p-perfectly," she stated. "The s-serum was in-injected five weeks ago and our instruments d-detected that the test s-subjects cells had mutated p-perfectly. And, as p-predicted, as we applied stress on the individual, his b-body completed the c-combustion cycle which had also been predicted."

She bowed her head and stepped backward, seemingly ashamed. The short pudgy man then stepped up, but it was easy to see he was terrified. He spoke clearly, but fear was in his voice as well.

"Then, something completely unexpected happened," the man said, "Although we knew that the transformation creates high levels of aggression and hostility, we never could have predicted that the experiment would attack his own pokemon, a small Poochyena." The man began sweating profusely. "The experiment pursued his pokemon into the woods behind the laboratory," the man turned away, not in fear, but towards a large computer screen.

"Computer," he said to the screen, "show satellite surveillance of the events which unfolded last night." The computer beeped and the screen began to glow. The screen showed the entire world, but it was centered over the middle of the ocean. After a few seconds the computer began humming and the screen zoomed in. As the earth came closer a small island in the ocean appeared and began to grow larger. It was a long, thin island, with one large rocky mountain surrounded by a thick forest. The camera from the satellite continued to zoom in onto a small concrete building in the middle of a grassy field.

The building was seen only from the top, but because of the length of the shadow one could tell it was very tall. The camera stopped as the entire building filled up the screen. It had three smokestacks on the top that were spewing out a white fluffy smoke. There was a large chain-link fence that surrounded the entire building as well, with only one entrance in or out. At the top was an observation deck which sat above the entire complex.

Instantly the video footage began rolling. A small dog-like pokemon ran from out of the main entrance at an extremely fast pace. It shot into the woods like a bolt of lightning. Nearly two seconds after the Poochyena had disappeared into the woods, an enormous fireball exited the building in pursuit of the creature. Even though the satellite was miles above the earth, it focused in such great detail that every movement of the test subject was monitored.

The three watched as the fire creature caught up with his pet and prepared to destroy it. As a fireball was raised above the experiment's head, the little dog bit the trainer on the leg and escaped. The dog then ran off and the experiment could no longer pursue. The flame around the experiment began to dim until it was completely extinguished. The man fell to the ground, exhausted. Even though he was fatigued, the computer showed the man was weeping.

The pudgy man, still shivering, turned the computer off. "As you can see," he remarked, "we failed to keep the experiment under permanent combustion and control. We have no idea what went wrong. Our instruments have revealed that his cells are still mutated, and to turn him back we need only apply the same stress to his body as we did before, but whether the same thing will happen again we have no idea."

The mist began to withdrawal from the two scientists and slipped behind the door, leaving The Messenger standing completely alone, devoid of the fog. His form was now easy to see, dark robes strung loosely over a tall body. However, the cloth did not touch the ground. Because the robes were so dark and thick, it was impossible to see his body.

"You fools," The Messenger said, and he raised his head to gaze upon the two scientists, which made them both shudder as they looked upward. Just under his hood was a terrible mask where his face should have been. It was cruel looking, a mask depicting a terrible devil-looking creature that was completely black. Words came again from behind it, "The Director will not be pleased with this." The two scientists began to shudder uncontrollably and the sunk to the floor.

The Messenger glided towards them, as if he didn't touch the ground. "He has put up with your inadequacy until now, and has asked of me to give you punishment. However, I am more forgiving than The Director is, therefore I will give you one last chance. You remember the last punishment I gave to you, and as I recall you could not stand it." The Messenger raised a gloved hand and touched his mask slightly. "You would not want to gaze upon this face again would you?"

"No!" the two scientists said in unison with terrified voices. They stared into the empty eye sockets of the devil mask, knowing well of what lie just under them.

The Messenger removed his gloved hand away from his mask. "Good," he replied. "I will return in one week's time. By then I trust you and your staff will have your experiment not only in complete combustion, but also under complete mental control. If you can not do these simple things, then I will have no choice but to reveal to you what you do not want to see. Until then, adieu."

The Messenger turned and glided out the doorway, pulling the dark mist along with him. The two scientists, shaky but relieved, got to there feet slowly. The lights began to glow again and the room appeared exactly as it had before. The tall slender woman walked towards an intercom on the wall and said, "We need the entire staff to report to room 284 for more experimentation. And I also believe that Mister Thorpe is hungry, so bring a meal as well."

The charred room was soon full of people in white laboratory coats. They began sweeping the ashes and scrubbing the walls, trying to make it as clean as they could. The man on the table went completely ignored by most, but after a few minutes he was approached by the short pudgy man.

"Mister Thorpe," he said while he aroused his sleeping frame. "Mister Thorpe! It's time to wake up!" Slowly the sleeping man opened his eyes and rolled onto his back. He saw the scorch marks on the ceiling and the ashes on the floor. He sat up quickly and saw the door lying on the floor off its hinges. It was then that he began to remember the events that had unfolded last night.

Thorpe lay back down on the cold metal table that he had been laying on. Everything felt cold to him now, the air, the light, and even his emotions. He felt inner anguish for his soul, for he had betrayed his dearest and best friend.

Slowly his hands rose to his face, unable to stop the tears welling up beneath them. "Dear God," he wept, "What have I become?"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Poochyena stood awkwardly, still becoming accustomed to having three legs instead of two. It seemed impossible to balance, especially on the frozen floor of Regice's cavern. Yet ever since the pain in his leg became less intense, he had been asked by Regice to begin walking. So despite the cold and the dull throb in the stump where his leg had been, Poochyena continued to practice walking.

Life had changed so much for him these last couple of days. The things which he had taken for granted in his past life were now long gone. The walks with his trainer in the park back in their home town, the tender pokechow which he was served every morning, and the constant love and affection that was always present. Everything was gone. He had not left the cave for three days now. The only food he had eaten was raw fish brought to him from Regice's other subjects, and his stomach was still adjusting to partaking of real flesh. And although Regice watched and protected him, there was no love between them. Poochyena felt that because Regice was such a noble and great pokemon, there was no possible way that he could love one such as lowly as he.

As Poochyena continued to limp around the cave, his Master watched him with patience. Regice was exhausted, for he had been conversing with his brethren for the last three days straight. He was disappointed as well, for he still did not know what to do. Regirock and Registeel had both decided that more would have to be learned of the evolving humans before any involvement could be made.

Today, however, their first move would be made. Regice opened his mind once again and connected with his trusted friend. _Your practicing is bearing fruit, _he spoke to him. _And because of your now refined walking abilities I must as one favor of you_.

Poochyena stopped walking, sliding a little on the ice, and then turned to Regice. He turned his head upward and howled. (I shall do whatever my Master asks of me!) The small dog then slipped and fell on his face. Embarrassed, Poochyena got to his feet and put his tail between his legs.

_My young friend, there is no need to be ashamed._ Regice thought to him. _Many times does the newborn stumble before the art of walking is perfected. _ Poochyena looked up at Regice and nodded, still with his tail between his legs. Regice continued. _On the other side of the island there is an ancient burial ground where the pokemon of this island take their dead. This is a rather sacred location which is governed by a servant of mine, a Gengar that goes by the name of Hagroth. I require his presence immediately, and I ask that you call on him for me._

Poochyena nodded his head, and then barked and whined ever so slightly. (I will go Regice, but I do not know the way). His claws were now gripping the ice very tightly, so there would be no chance of him slipping.

Regice replied. _As you leave this cavern you will see a tree off to the right. In that tree will be a Pidgey. Tell her that I sent you and she will be happy to show you the way._ Poochyena bowed, and then began to stumble out of the cave.

Slowly the small dog stumbled out of the chamber and into the long tunnel, his mind focusing on his mission. However, as he remembered how long the journey to the surface was, his mind began to wander onto other subjects. Poochyena realized how much he had changed in the last few days. Before his master had turned on him he was a playful, happy puppy without a care in the world. But now, now that he lived in a world of Ice, things were different.

Poochyena's mind had become focused and hard as flint. He never laughed nor cried, but was completely serious in everything he did. There was no time for fun anymore, because that only got in the way of more important things. It was time to grow up, time to take the responsibility that had been given to him. The world was changing, and it needed its leaders to be strong when they relied on them. Poochyena knew that if the world called upon them, he would not let them down.

Before he realized it, Poochyena had reached the tunnel's exit. Stepping carefully over an outcropping of rocks, he looked up on the sun, a sight which he had not seen these last few days. He sniffed the air, the clean air that was not cold, but was warm and filled him with energy. The small dog shook in the sunlight as well as he could, balancing on his front leg awkwardly.

As he absorbed the sunlight, Poochyena noticed the tree that Regice had mentioned to him. He trotted over as best he could and looked up into the tree. As his Master had said, there was a bird up in the tree.

This bird was preening its feathers. It was a tawny color, and a little chubby. _I wonder how such a creature could fly_, thought Poochyena as he gazed upwards. The bird didn't even acknowledge his existence. Poochyena hunched back on his hind legs and barked five times at the top of his voice. (Are you the Pidgey that knows the way to the islands burial ground?)

At the sound of the loud bark the bird nearly fell out of the tree. After fluttering to right itself, the Pidgey looked down at Poochyena and started screeching in an annoying voice. (What in heavens name you think you do small doggie dog?)

Poochyena was taken aback. Not only was this fowl grammatically dim, it was also very rude. The small dog kept his eyes on the bird and narrowed his eyes. He growled deeply towards the bird. (I was sent here by Regice, Master of the island, and I demand that you take me to the sacred burial grounds.)

The Pidgey sat up straight at the sound of its Master's name. After a moment of thought, the bird began to tweet. (I is most sorry, yes I am. What mister big kingy kingy says little Starlinc do, yes she does.) And with that the little Pidgey jumped off the branch she was sitting on and fluttered to the ground. She then waddled over to Poochyena and looked him over, and then chirped. (What your name is silly doggy dog?)

Poochyena looked sadly at Starlinc. He had not been called by his real name in days. It was time for it to be spoken again. The dog barked once. (My name is Simon.) As Poochyena spoke his name he realized that even though legally that was his name, he no longer felt as Simon felt.

Starlinc, obviously oblivious to Simon's emotions, began to hop up and down and chirping excitedly. (Simon is a fantacular name yes it is. We is going to be bestity best friends. Come on, we go now to buried grounds, yes. Master commands and little Starlinc do. Follow me little Simon!) Starlinc, forgetting that dogs do not have wings, immediately jumped into the air and flapped excitedly.

Simon, who was still getting used to walking, tried to keep up, but to no avail. He sat on his haunches in anger. However, it wasn't long before Starlinc was back and tweeting like mad. (Why come you not follow Starlinc? Starlinc go slow for you to come catch up yes.)

The Poochyena looked up at the bird as she was fluttering around like mad and started to growl. (You fool! I have no wings. How do you expect me to fly?)

Starlinc alighted upon a branch on a nearby tree and began to tweet. (Oh silly Starlinc, yes I is. Too bad for you, can not fly with us birdies. Come follow again, yes, I will go slow.) Starlinc then started hopping tree to tree, fluttering as needed. Simon let out a sigh, and then started trotting after her. It was very awkward trying to run, but it was a lot easier on the soil rather than on the solid ice.

As they went along Starlinc started singing in an off tune, annoying voice. (La LAAA! We go to the buried grounds we do. La la la! And through the happy forest too. Fa la la. LA LA!)

The song was so irritating that after five minutes Simon barked angrily. (Stupid animal! Why do you have to sing that song? It is driving me bonkers!)

Starlinc stopped singing for a second to let out several squawks. (I is happy, yes I am. I do like to sing my songs for every people in the forest. You no happy, why not you is?) After she stopped squawking Starlinc began singing again, not expecting an answer to her question. However, the question struck Simon to the core. Why wasn't he happy like he used to? Why was he becoming aggressive to those who were pleased with life? Simon lowered his head in shame and continued to trot on, following Starlinc's song rather than actually watching her.

Suddenly, Starlinc stopped her song. Simon looked up and saw her sitting on a branch looking forward. He couldn't see anything through the foliage, so he barked silently up to Starlinc. (What is it?)

Starlinc jumped down from the branch and fluttered down to the ground. She started chirping quietly to him. (We have come to the scary place. We is going to be really quiet now.)

Poochyena barked quietly again. (Is this the sacred burial ground?)

Starlinc let out a quiet squawk. (No, this is the scary human place where mean scary things come. We be quiet so much that scary things don't see us.) Starlinc stayed on the ground with Poochyena and waddled next to him.

They had gone about one hundred feet when Simon stopped abruptly. His nose picked up on something that he had only smelled three days ago. It was then that Simon realized where he was. He put his nose to the ground and sniffed. Ash! This was the place where he had been chased by his former trainer. Simon looked up at the trees and sure enough, there were scorch marks across the branches. It was a miracle that the fire didn't spread, and the forest seemed to be healing very quickly.

As the two pokemon stepped into the trail were the ash lay, Simon looked down towards the complex. The day was getting darker, which was all the better for him because his eyes were accustom to the night. He could see the entrance to the compound about half a mile away. Feeling a shiver go through his spine, Simon urged Starlinc on. The sooner they got to the burial grounds, the better.

After another hundred yards, Starlinc flew up into a nearby tree and looked around, scouting the area. She then gave a loud tweet and continued to fly in the same direction as before. (No one can I see, so we is going again.)

The rest of the journey passed without event, Starlinc continued to sing her off tune song, making up words as she went, and Simon just trotted after her, getting more used to the lack of his front leg. It was nearly nightfall as they reached the burial grounds. It was like nothing that Simon had expected.

Simon thought that it would be a field littered with bones, but to his great astonishment it was just a field of grass. A perfect circle of grass to be precise. The trees formed around it but they didn't intrude upon the field. There was a slight breeze blowing over the grass, making it move like waves on the ocean.

Starlinc started to tweet quietly. (They is coming soon. Yes they are. Watch the sun, yes, the sun is bringing them!) Simon didn't even want to try to understand what Starlinc was saying, but nevertheless he turned his attention to the sun, which was just setting below the horizon. Slowly it sunk lower and lower, until finally it disappeared.

The second the sun was gone, a thick mist began to flow from the trees into the field. The fog touched Simon and Starlinc and sent shivers through their bodies. Starlinc jumped into the air and flew into a nearby tree. Simon could see her trembling and watched her put her head underneath her wing, evidently trying to hide from the scene before her.

The mist oozed into the field and began to swirl. Simon could see it clearly, for night gave him power. As the fog swirled, voices began emanating from within. It was a deep chant that sounded like the wind itself. Even though it was very faint, Simon understood every word perfectly.

The Night has come, the darkness reigns,

Releases us from daylight pains.

For unto us the power is given

To continue past the time of living.

Life is gone, and now we play

With bones among the rocks and clay.

We are neither good nor bad,

Mostly tricky and a little sad.

We can never do our best,

For then we would be forced to rest.

So now we must continue on,

And watch the bones of those who are gone.

Love and Life are things so frail,

But Death and Darkness never pale.

Slowly a moan came from the fog and it dissipated, revealing spirits of those who had passed on. Simon saw every ghost he had ever known, and even a few that he didn't. There were Gastlys, Haunters, Duskulls, and Shuppets. There were also small ghosts that had red pearl necklaces and flowing hair. They also sang with deep shrilly voices. Simon had never seen them before, and wondered what they were.

Suddenly all of the ghosts turned towards the center of the field and bowed down. The rest of the fog had gathered there and was beginning to swirl violently. Simon squinted, trying to see through the mist. However, he didn't have to wait long. Soon it erupted and there, standing where the fog had been swirling just moments before, stood a terrifying ghost pokemon. It stood with arms stretched out above the other ghosts as if absorbing an unseen power from them all. It was a dark purple color, with a horrifying grin. Its eyes glowed brightly, taking in the chanting and power that was all around it.

It was Hagroth, the leader of the Dead.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Mr. Thorpe, you can't do this to us!" yelled the tall, slender woman. Thorpe had removed all of his burnt clothing and replaced them with new ones, a white lab coat and some blue jeans. He was furious, his red face steaming with anger, which showed very brightly against the white lab coat.

As he grabbed a leather jacket and hastily put it on, he said to the lady, "Sorry Jessica, but I fear that you did something unforgivable to me." He walked over to a table on the far side of a large room, where a small ball with a red top and a white bottom sat on a little stand, slightly tilted. He grabbed the ball and slid it into his jacket pocket. Thorpe turned to the woman again; his face less red, but his anger was still there. "I am going to find my little Simon and bring him back. That's all that matters to me right now."

Thorpe zipped up his leather jacket and began to walk outside when all of a sudden the lights began to dim. Jessica, the slender woman, screamed in terror and turned to run, but she realized that she had nowhere to go. Thorpe did not know what was happening, but a sudden fear leaped into him, fear that felt like a river of ice, flowing through his veins.

Suddenly, the knob on the door at the front of the room started shaking violently, as if some creature was trying to open it with a closed fist. A faint but dark mist began seeping in through the spaces in the door. Finally, with a dull thud, the door began to creak open, ever so slowly. A thick smoke began billowing in and reaching into the corners. It was hard to see in the dimmed light, but Thorpe thought he saw someone move into the room.

As soon as the figure entered, a strange voice that was soft yet fierce began to speak, directed to the woman. "Are you having any trouble with the experiment, Ms. Cooper?" She stood up, shaking so bad that Thorpe wondered how she was standing erect.

Her speech to the creature was inaudible through the shuddering, and sounded like her lungs were in a vice, but the shadowy figure seemed to understand her. "You lie!" it said with intensity. "He was too about to escape. You have no control over him yet, and he might warn the enemy of our intentions. What was he leaving for anyway?"

Again the scientist mumbled, and began to sob hysterically. She fell to the floor in tears. The creature began walking over to her, the mist that enveloped it following. Slowly it swarmed around her and gripped her. "His Poochyena?" the ghostly figure replied. "You want me to believe that he really cares about his pokemon?" The woman began to nod through her sobs.

Thorpe sensed the creature looked at him quickly and then back to the woman. He slowly walked over to her side and knelt down beside her on the floor, face to face. Thorpe then heard in a faint voice, barely audible, from the creature. "Is the experiment under complete control?" it said, almost compassionately.

The scientist looked up into the creature's eyes, and for a split second Thorpe saw a thought of realization cross her face. Suddenly she started bawling and screaming "NO! NO! DON'T DO IT I BEG OF YOU!" The scientist tried to cover her face, but the mist held her tightly. Thorpe saw the creature raise a robe-covered arm toward its face, and slowly it began to move.

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" the woman screamed at the top of her lungs, sending shivers down Thorpe's spine. It was as if the Gates of Hell had opened up, and a prisoner from within let out a gut-retching howl. The scream was inhuman and felt like the very embodiment of fear. After ten seconds of a straight scream, the scientist fainted backwards, her head slamming against the floor. The mist had released her, and once again shrouded the creature once again. Its arm seemed to readjust something under its mask, and then it stood up and faced Thorpe.

"You!" the creature said, with its voice soft yet piercing voice. "The Director wishes to meet with you personally. You will follow me or meet the same fate which Jessica Cooper experienced, no exceptions. Are we clear?" The fog began to move toward Thorpe like a poisonous mist. Thorpe quickly nodded, completely at a loss for words. The figure nodded, and then began to glide out the door.

Thorpe quickly came to his senses and followed the creature, out of the room and into a long hallway. The lights on the ceiling were dim, so adding to the chilling mood of the circumstance. As they were about halfway down the hall, the cloaked figure stopped at an elevator. "Push the button!" the creature said sharply. Thorpe quickly obeyed, pressing the upwards button with his index finger. A chime announced that the elevator was already at the station, and the doors separated, revealing an empty room. The creature entered first, followed by Thorpe.

Thorpe was too scared to think straight. If this creature was not the leader of this operation, how much more terrible would this Director be? He was thinking this when he heard a small piece of metal chink on the floor. Thorpe looked down and saw a small metal elevator key, used to get to levels that were hidden from the normal path of the elevator.

"Take the key and turn it," said the creature. Slowly, Thorpe bended down and picked up the key, which was very cold, and put it in the appropriate slot on the side of the door. The elevator responded immediately, and began to ascend at a rapid pace.

Even though the journey of the elevator took no more that five seconds, it was completely agonizing to Thorpe. His soul felt like it would evaporate with every second that he spent in the presence of that foul creature. It was almost as if this were Death, scraping and slashing his soul with fierce claws of ice. Thorpe held his breath, doing anything that would keep him from inhaling that atrocious fog. The chime of a bell announced the elevator's arrival, and also brought a welcoming breath to Thorpe as the creature exited the room.

Thorpe wanted to sink into the corner and die slowly, but he remembered the look on the face of Jessica Cooper and realized that whatever she saw must be a fate worse than death. He left the elevator and followed the creature, careful not to touch the black mist that followed behind it.

The hallway was very tall, and lined with portraits. Old men stood looking out with cold, dark faces. Thorpe had never been in this hall before. It seemed alien, as if a well furnished place should not be in a scientific laboratory. At the end of the hallway were two large mahogany doors. In them were carved writings in a language had never seen before. The creature stopped, and turned to Thorpe.

"You will go inside by yourself. You will not speak unless spoken to and you will answer every question perfectly honestly, or The Director will not hesitate to take your life away. And remember," he said, letting his voice trail off, "The Director is not as forgiving as I am." The creature soon became enveloped in fog, and with a swirling motion all the fog disappeared, and the figure was gone.

Thorpe gulped. The creature was gone, but a haunting feeling remained. He turned and faced the doors. They towered over him, seemingly threatening him. Thorpe breathed a deep breath, and then reached out his hand, and pushed the door aside.

He entered into a large room. It was dark, but not as dark as the hallway. The only light was from a series of windows at the very back of the room. A long conference table lined with chairs was in the center. To the right were five large metal containers about ten feet tall sitting on the floor. Each one had various screens and dials attached to it. They looked eerie in the room's darkness. One of the cylinders looked unique, for there were hundreds of odd looking hoses connected to it. There was a lot more electronic equipment adorning this cylinder, but Thorpe had no idea why.

"Mister Thorpe I presume?" a deep voice said from the front of the room. It was not a harsh voice, but rather it sounded sad, yet kind. Thorpe turned to the front of the room to see the owner of the voice, and he saw, silhouetted by the windows, a gigantic man.

The large man was facing away from Thorpe, looking out the window. He had long hair that touched his broad shoulders, so broad Thorpe wondered if this man could fit through a doorway comfortably. There was something about his back, however, that Thorpe thought was abnormal. He couldn't put a finger on it, but that feeling persisted.

Thorpe then remembered that he had been asked a question, and he quickly answered in the affirmative. The large man turned around, still silhouetted by the light behind him, but his majesty was even more evident. "You may sit then, Mister Thorpe." Thorpe quickly obeyed and sat in the nearest chair at the table.

The majestic man cleared his throat, and began speaking in his deep and powerful voice. "Do you know how a virus works, Mister Thorpe?" The Director began walking down the opposite side of the table, towards Thorpe.

"Well," Thorpe explained. "I know that there are two kinds of viruses. One kind, the lytic virus, uses its D.N.A. to change a cell into a virus making machine, and that it dies after its labor is complete. But the other is much more subtle, the lysogenic virus. It feeds its D.N.A. into the genome of the cell it infects. The cell then carries that D.N.A. for its entire life, and as it divides, the D.N.A. of the virus divides with it, soon creating millions and millions of infected yet dormant cells." Thorpe suddenly felt relaxed, because The Director didn't seem that bad of person.

The Director nodded. "Splendid explanation, Mister Thorpe," he said with power. "And did you know that these lysogenic viruses are completely undetectable?" Thorpe nodded. "Yes, I thought you would," returned The Director.

The Director turned, and was completely visible to Thorpe. His hair was golden, and he had a large handlebar mustache. His arms were as thick as oak trees, and were tucked neatly behind his back. His eyes sparkled with a majestic blue color that made Thorpe think of the sea. The man was truly a sight to behold.

The Director bowed his head and began to pace. "About two years ago," he began, "I discovered something truly amazing. I had been a study of virology my entire life, and I had done experiments with viruses, trying to incorporate the genetics of one creature into another." Thorpe started to become uneasy. Something about this story felt very familiar. He felt his hands begin to grow warm and sweaty. _Oh no_! he though_. Not again!_

"However," the director continued, blatantly unaware of Thorpe's condition. "There were many problems with doing this. First of all, I could rarely get a virus to accept a different D.N.A. pattern without dying. And even when I did, I never had enough to infect an entire body. You see, the entire body must be infected or else when the cell begins to mutate, the immune system will attack it, causing the body to die.

"Then, as I came to this island around two years ago, I found a remarkable discovery. I found a creature that could control how a virus worked with such precision that it could make the necessary adjustments so I could complete my dream."

Thorpe looked up, sweat pouring down his face. "The ghost man that brought me to you!" he blurted out. He realized what he said too late. The accusation would surely bring the wrath of The Director on him.

However, The Director only laughed. "Who, Michael? No, Michael is only my Messenger. He is only one of my many experiments. No, the creature I speak of is more powerful even than I." Slowly The Director walked up to the large container with the odd metal hoses sticking out of it. He pushed some buttons on a side panel and the entire machine started beeping like mad. A large whooshing sound came from it, and the casing of metal began to slide upward. Underneath was a clear tube of glass, viewing into a chamber filled with green liquid. Yet, as eerie as this was, it was not as horrifying as the creature within.

This creature was not like anything Thorpe had ever seen. It hung suspended in the fluid, connected to the hundreds of hoses and wires. Its colors were distorted through the green liquid, so as it looked black, yet its shape was clear. Four long arms fell loosely, two on each side of its body. They twisted around each other, like strands of D.N.A. Its legs were cylinder shaped, and dragged against the bottom of the container. Its face was scary as well; a large circle divided by a mere line. Two holes were in its head, with pale eyes looking out. The creature stared towards Thorpe from his prison, as if begging to be freed. Yet its eyes showed that it was dead. Not physically dead, but emotionally destroyed.

"This is the creature that I found, the master of viruses. We do not know what it is or where it came from, but because of its ability to master all genetics, I have named it Deoxys." The Director took in a breath of pride, and then continued. "With it I have been able to incorporate the D.N.A. of a pokemon that controls its identity into the D.N.A. of a human being. Of course, Deoxys wasn't so eager to help me in my endeavor at first, but after a little 'persuasion' I was able to convince him to…"

The Director was cut off by a scream. He turned to see Thorpe jump to his feet. Thorpe was looking at his arm in fear. The Director focused on it as well. Suddenly, as if by some magical force, flame erupted from it. The fire rapidly spread over Thorpe's entire body as a thick anger spread through his soul. Thorpe screamed once more before his head was engulfed. After his body had been taken over, he quit struggling and looked at The Director. With an inhuman roar, Thorpe charged at him.

The Director didn't even blink. As Thorpe came closer he removed his hands from behind his back and reached toward Thorpe. Thorpe saw as he ran that The Director didn't have hands at all, but rather large, scaly claws. Yet, Thorpe was running too fast to stop. With one move The Director grabbed Thorpe by the arm and using the force of Thorpe's running, slammed him against the door.

Thorpe swung his other hand around and launched a fireball from his wrist, straight into the Director's face. The Director turned his face and caught the blast on the side of the face. As the flame cleared The Director turned back, and showed that his face was hardly singed. "Nice try Mister Thorpe," he joked, and he swung Thorpe over his body and onto the ground.

Pain coursed through Thorpe's body. He doubled up under the pain. The Director released his grip and began to walk away. "Yes, I too have used Deoxys to make me strong." He turned again to Thorpe, who was trying to stand up. "I gave myself the essence of the Dragons, and your puny fires can but barely harm me in the slightest."

Thorpe stood up and faced The Director again. The Director opened his mouth as if to yell, but instead blew a large cloud of dust from his mouth. It engulfed Thorpe and he felt stinging all over. His body locked up in pain, and he stood motionless. The Director then ran at Thorpe and slammed him in the face with one of his clawed hands, knocking Thorpe to the ground. As he hit, the flame on him died, and Thorpe took a deep breath.

The Director reached down and grabbed Thorpe by the hair. Blood was flowing down his nose, obviously broken. The Director looked him in the eyes. "They said that about a week ago you lost someone very dear to you." Thorpe lowered his eyes. Even in the pain that he was in, he could not forgive himself for the loss he had suffered. The clothes on his body hung off him like rags, yet he was not ashamed of his nakedness as much as of his sin.

"A small Poochyena, is that right?" The Director asked. Thorpe turned away, and didn't answer. "Don't worry," the Director coaxed. "I will bring him back to you." He dropped Thorpe on the ground and pushed some buttons on two different cylinders. They opened at the same time, revealing their prisoners.

They were both human, or had been once in their lives. One of them was hunched over and slim. It was female from what Thorpe could tell, with dark long hair and a feminine shape. She had two long, sharp fangs jutting out from her upper jaw, each which was dripping a green liquid. She had a tight leotard over her frame, and her skin was slightly green. She opened her black eyes and smiled. The slim creature pointed her fingernails at Thorpe, which were needle sharp and covered with green ooze.

The other figure was tall and thick. Its skin was hardly skin at all, but rather a metal coating. The face of this creature was masculine. He had glowing red eyes that pierced Thorpe's soul as he gazed at him. With two audible clunks, the steel beast exited its container quickly, the metal not slowing him at all.

The poison and metal creatures turned to The Director and bowed. The Director pointed towards Thorpe. "This young man has lost his Poochyena. I would like you to bring him back. Dead or alive!" The poison creature jumped with glee and clapped her hands. The steel creature nodded affirmative. They both ran out of the room an inhuman speed, leaving The Director and Thorpe alone.

"You murderer," Thorpe croaked as he lay on the floor. The Director walked up to him and kicked him in the ribs.

"No," he said. "I am merely the future."


End file.
